Hello! That’s me below with the same goofy smile that I have today, but that perm is long gone, yikes! According to my young artist self I really wanted to be a red head with blue eyes. Hey, at least I got the smile right.

Character art has been with me since childhood. By third grade the Sunday comics, like Garfield, were my go-to for inspiration and the big push for me to draw. Today, my work consists of unique characters, strange and humorous stories, and whimsical and imaginative illustrations in both traditional and digital mediums.

I’m a program manager at a creative learning agency and an illustrator and author, focused on picture books, in search of my perfect literary agent match. That individual would be a wonderful partner with a big heart, that seeks the good in people, and loves dogs (cats also acceptable).

I have studied creative writing, painting, portraiture, and life drawing at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and achieved my certification in Illustration, with honors, from Kalamazoo Valley Community College in December 2021. I’m a co-coordinator for the Kalamazoo Area Shop Talk for SCBWI.

Juried Group Exhibitions
2022 Portfolio Showcase (virtual) — SCBWI, New York, NY (virtual)
2021 Portfolio Showcase (virtual) — SCBWI, New York, NY (virtual)
2020 West Michigan Area Show — Kalamazoo Institute of Art, Kalamazoo, MI
2018 New Media Show — Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, MI
2017 Art Hops Beer Design Contest — Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, finalist
2016 West Michigan Area Show — Kalamazoo Institute of Art, Kalamazoo, MI

Group Exhibitions
2015 Art Hop — SCBWI, Hite House, Kalamazoo, MI

Awards
2022 Shutta Crum NY Conference Scholarship — SCBWI-Michigan
2021 Gil and Silvia Golde Art Scholarship — Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, MI
2021 Illustrator Mentorship — SCBWI-Indiana
2017 New Media Show — Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, MI, 1st place in illustration
2016 T-shirt Design Contest — Waterstreet Coffee Coffee Joint, Kalamazoo, MI, 1st place winner

Contact info: melbryce12@gmail.com